Attendee suggestion for events based on profile information on a social networking site

Abstract

A system and machine-implemented method for suggesting a user for an event within a social networking site is provided. The method includes receiving a social suggestion indication from a first user of the social networking site and determining, using the one or more computing devices, an event associated with the first user. The method also includes accessing a data structure storing a plurality of user models comprising social information of users, and comparing, using the one or more computing devices, the event with the plurality of user models, to determine a second user model from the plurality of user models, based on a predetermined criteria. The method further includes identifying a second user associated with the second user model, and generating a user suggestion identifying the second user.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method executed on one or more computing devices for suggesting a user for an event within a social networking site, the method comprising:
 receiving a social suggestion indication comprising an event suggestion request from a first user of the social networking site; 
 determining, using the one or more computing devices, an event associated with the first user, the event having a location and time; 
 accessing a data structure storing a plurality of user models comprising social information of users, each user model corresponding to a user; 
 comparing, using the one or more computing devices, the event with the plurality of user models to determine multiple user models from the plurality of user models, based on a predetermined criteria; 
 determining a second user model from the determined multiple user models based on social affinity between a first user model corresponding with the first user and the determined multiple user models; 
 identifying a second user associated with the second user model; 
 automatically generating, without user intervention by the first or second user, a user suggestion that the first user and the identified second user both attend the event; 
 sending the user suggestion to the identified second user without notifying the first user; and 
 sending the user suggestion to the first user only if the second user accepts the user suggestion. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the comparing comprises determining the second user model having social information satisfying the predetermined criteria based on the event. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the social information comprises user profile information; and 
 the determining the second user model from the determined multiple user models based on social affinity comprises determining the second user model based on shared profile information between the first and the determined user models. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising accessing the data structure to identify a first user model associated with the first user, wherein:
 the determining the event comprises determining the event from the social suggestion indication, and 
 the comparing comprises comparing the event and the first user model with the plurality of user models, to determine the second user model. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the social suggestion indication comprises an event suggestion request;
 the method further comprising accessing the data structure to identify a first user model associated with the first user; and 
 wherein the determining the event comprises determining, in response to the event suggestion request, the event based on the first user model. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the social suggestion indication comprises an event suggestion request; 
 the method further comprising accessing the data structure to determine a third user model associated with a third user, the third user associated with the social networking site and socially related to the first user; and 
 the determining the event comprises determining, in response to the event suggestion request, the event based on the third user model. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an accept input from the first user in response to the user suggestion; and 
 communicating the acceptance of the user suggestion by the first user to the second user. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the social information comprises interest information and event attendance information of the users. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying multiple second users associated with the second user model and having a high social affinity with the first user; and 
 generating the user suggestion that the first user and a predetermined number of the identified second users with the highest affinity with the first user attend the event. 
 
     
     
       10. A system for suggesting an attendee to an event within a social networking site, the system comprising:
 a memory storing a data structure storing a plurality of user models comprising social information of users, each user model corresponding to a user, and storing executable instructions; and 
 a processor coupled to the memory configured to execute the stored executable instructions to:
 receive a social suggestion indication comprising an event suggestion request from a first user of the social networking site; 
 determine an event associated with the first user, the event having a location and time; 
 access the data structure to determine the plurality of user models including a first user model corresponding with the first user; 
 compare the event with the plurality of user models to determine multiple user models including a second user model from the plurality of user models, based on a predetermined criteria; 
 determine the second user model from the determined multiple user models based on social affinity between the first user model corresponding with the first user and the determined multiple user models; 
 identify a second user corresponding with the second user model; and 
 automatically generate, without user intervention by the first or second user, an attendee suggestion that the identified second user and the first user both attend the event; 
 send the attendee suggestion to the identified second user without notifying the first user; and 
 send the user suggestion to the first user only if the second user accepts the user suggestion. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the comparing to determine multiple user models comprises determining the multiple user models having social information satisfying the predetermined criteria based on the event. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the social information comprises user profile information; and 
 the determining the second user model from the determined multiple user models based on social affinity comprises determining the second user model based on shared profile information between the first and the determined multiple user models. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the determining the event comprises determining the event from the social suggestion indication; and 
 the comparing to determine the multiple user models comprises comparing the event and the first user model with the plurality of user models, to determine the multiple user models. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the social suggestion indication comprises an event suggestion request; and 
 the determining the event comprises determining, in response to the event suggestion request, the event based on the first user model. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the social suggestion indication comprises an event suggestion request; 
 the processor is further configured to access the data structure to determine a third user model associated with a third user, the third user associated with the social networking site and socially related to the first user; and 
 the determining the event comprises determining, in response to the event suggestion request, the event based on the third user model. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive an accept input from the first user in response to the attendee suggestion; and 
 communicate the acceptance of the attendee suggestion by the first user to the second user. 
 
     
     
       17. A machine-readable storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions for causing a processor to execute a method for suggesting an attendee to an event within a social networking site, the method comprising:
 receiving a social suggestion indication comprising an event suggestion request from a first user of the social networking site; 
 determining an event associated with the first user, the event having a location and time; 
 accessing a data structure storing a plurality of user models, each user model corresponding to a user, including a first user model corresponding with the first user, wherein the plurality of user models comprises social information of users including profile information; 
 comparing the event and the first user model with the plurality of user models to determine, from the plurality of user models, multiple user models including a second user model having social information satisfying a predetermined criteria; 
 determining the second user model, from the determined multiple user models, having social affinity between the first user model corresponding with the first user and the determined multiple user models based on shared profile information between the first user model and the determined multiple user models; 
 identifying a second user corresponding with the second user model; and 
 automatically generating, without user intervention by the first or second user, a user suggestion that the first user and the identified second user both attend the event; 
 sending the user suggestion to the identified second user without notifying the first user; and 
 sending the user suggestion to the first user only if the second user accepts the user suggestion. 
 
     
     
       18. The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the social suggestion indication comprises an event suggestion request, wherein the determining the event comprises determining, in response to the event suggestion request, the event based on the first user model.